


Nothing lasts forever.

by lydiamxrtin



Series: TK Strand Week 2020 [3]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Big Brother Judd Ryder, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-08
Updated: 2020-11-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:15:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,467
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27444724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lydiamxrtin/pseuds/lydiamxrtin
Summary: TK Strand Week 2020 - Day 3 • Prompt: “I can’t believe you dragged me into this.” + friendshipAfter seeing that TK is overwhelmed with work and his dad's illness Judd decided to take him horse riding, much to the dismay of TK.
Relationships: Judd Ryder & TK Strand
Series: TK Strand Week 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1998973
Comments: 6
Kudos: 43
Collections: TK Strand Week 2020





	Nothing lasts forever.

**Author's Note:**

> So....apolgies this is so late the real world came knocking and I had to take some time away but I'm back and hoping to upload the days I missed!
> 
> -AJ

TK stood in the field, resting his arms on the fence. He pushed off, shaking his head vigorously "No way," He called, backing further from the fence. 

Judd approached the other side of the fence, leaning on it as TK had, "Now come on," He hollered. 

TK turned back around, watching as Judd stood in the enclosure, two large horses, trotting around behind him. TK crossed his arms over his chest, "I am  _ not _ riding a horse," he argued.

When Judd had told TK to meet him after work, this is not what he expected. Judd had told TK that he had a surprise for him, something to calm him, TK had thought it would be a game of pool or something else, but  _ not  _ riding a horse. 

Judd laughed, "You're in Texas," He said, pushing the gate open and stepping out, "Gotta do it at least once in your life," he said, throwing his hands out to the side.

"Maybe next time," TK sighed, stepping even further back.

TK went to turn his head when Judd called again, "Kid," he said, his voice softer this time.

TK sighed, slowly turning back to Judd. He watched as the horses scuffed at the floor, shaking their manes. Judd had an almost pleading look on his face. TK shifted on his feet, already regretting the decision he was about to make, "Alright, alright," TK breathed, "But not long I've got some paperwork to do," TK warned.

Judd walked back into the encloser, grabbing the reins of the horses and leading them out. Judd took the copper-coloured horse and tidied it to the fence, grabbing the brown and white patched one and walking over to TK with it. "Okay, you just put your hand on here," Judd said, motioning to the reins, "and place your foot in here, and the push up," He said, knocking the stirrups. TK groaned, looking over at Judd with a look that said,  _ do I really have to do this?  _ The look that TK got back said  _ yes.  _ TK walked forward to the horse, wrapping his hands around the reins, raising one of his feet and placing it in the stirrup, after a moment TK push up and pulled himself up on the horse. 

The horse shifted below TK taking a few steps forward and back, "Easy up," Judd said, holding onto TK's reins. 

TK squirmed in his seat, "Could have told me we were doing this before I put jeans on," He said, looking down at his tight black jeans, wishing he also didn't wear his new white sneakers.

"You'll be fine," Judd laughed, pulling himself up onto his own horse, "Alright now just follow me," Judd flicked his reins slightly, and his horse started to walk out into the field, TK copied the action, and his horse followed Judds, pulling up alongside him. "See you're getting the hang of it," Judd smiled as the horses trotted side by side across the field together. 

The men rode in silence for a time. TK could see Judd admiring the location, the beautiful, broad rolling fields expanding across the horizon. 

That's not what TK was thinking about. TK was thinking about his dad's paperwork he had to do when he got back home, and how he needed to call his dad's doctor about his dad's new medication. TK also had to ring his therapists to cancel- TK's horse slightly jumped over a large tree that was strewn across the floor, causing TK to startle. He heard Judd laugh next to him, Tk felt a small smile grow on his own face but worked hard to push it down, "Isn't this meant to be relaxing?" TK joked.

"It's meant to take your mind off things," Judd said, slowing his horse slightly, TK trying to do the same. 

TK wanted to laugh, shaking his head slightly. TK's mind was a swarm of conflicting thoughts, each bouncing off each other seemingly to create more questions and thoughts, "Think you're going to need a lot more than a horse for that," TK sighed, the tranquil field not being able to calm his seemingly never-ending anxiety at the moment. 

"Hows Carlos doing,?" Judd asked.

"Good, been busy lately," TK smiled. There wasn't a lot to be happy about right now but thinking of Carlos never failed to put a smile on TK's face, "Were meant to be going to dinner this week," TK said, Carlos had found this excellent Sushi restaurant that TK had been dying to try out, "But I don't know," TK muttered. Another round of thoughts bounced around in his mind, and TK wasn't sure if his mind could contain any more ideas or emotions. 

"You should go," Judd persuaded.

TK looked over at Judd who was giving him a sympathetic smile "Maybe," TK murmured. Part of TK wanted to go, wanted to pretend that everything was normal even though it wasn't. But, another part wasn't sure he could face sitting in a restaurant smiling when it seemed like everything else around him was falling apart.

After another moment of silence, Judd spoke "You're a natural," He smiled as he said, "Almost as good as your dad,"

TK must have tugged on his reins slightly as his horse came to a standstill, "My dad did this?" He asked.

Judd laughed, shaking his head, "Oh yeah, when you guys first got here I took him out," He said, looking into the distances like he remembered it, "He weren't too thrilled about to either," he continued to laugh harder. After a moment Judd's laughing subsided, he flicked his eyes over to TK's still frozen horse, "You guys should go riding," Judd hopefully said. 

TK's horse faltered for a moment like it was waiting to continue trotting. TK abruptly dismounted from his horse, pacing around the empty field. TK found a large oak tree and slummed down at the base of it. TK's ability to put on a smile and pretend that everything was okay was slowly coming to its end. TK reached down and aimlessly picked at the rocks below him, after a moment he felt Judd come and sit next to him, his shoulder nudging him. "Your dad's going to be fine kid," Judd quietly said.

A few weeks ago Owen had been feeling ill, he had assured TK it was just a cold, but after a trip to the hospital the doctors found out Owen's cancer had progressed and Owen hadn't left the hospital since. 

Owen was all smiles and acting positive, like it was just a minor cold. TK could tell from the sideways glances from the doors that it wasn't just a cold, it was worse. "You don't know that," TK lamented. 

Judd sighed, "He kicked ass at horse riding, he can kick cancers ass," Judd tried to comfort, but TK just stared at the ground. 

TK rested his head against the back of the tree, looking up as the sun beamed in through the leaves. "I saw him in the hospital the other day," TK started, "He was smiling and trying to be strong, but I could tell he was in pain," TK said through stifled emotion. TK tried to push the image of his dad wincing at every moment out of its mind, but somehow it managed to crawl its way back up every time. 

"I don't doubt it, cancers a bitch," Judd said. TK looked over at the older man, he was looking down at TK with a sympathetic smile. "But your dad is one of the strongest people I've met," TK smiled at that, how true it was. "He ain't going to give up," That was also true. TK wanted to find comfort in those words, but no matter how hard he looked, it just wasn't there. Cancer didn't care if Owen was strong, or if he wouldn't give up, because the cancer was both those things too. "How about you?" Judd asked.

TK pulled his eyebrows together, tilting his head to the side, "What about me?" He asked.

Judd gave a small laugh, like his question was obvious, "How you been doin?" He clarified. 

"Fine," TK said, the words leaving his lips before he even had a chance to think about them. He was fine.

Judd nodded, but he could see from his eyes that he didn't quite believe him, his eyes narrowed. "You going to your meetings?" Judd said, raising his eyebrows.

For a moment, TK was taken aback. After the solar flare and his confession about his addiction, TK had found he had told the team more about his life; including his meetings. TK tensed up, pulling harshly at a blade of grass on the floor, "You don't need to watch over me Judd," TK said, and found his voice was harsher than he meant it to be, "I'm not a kid," TK said again, pushing himself up off the floor and walking towards his horse, not wanting to get on that but not wanting to sit on the floor anymore; TK just paced. 

"You gotta make sure you're focusing on yourself as well, we don't need you..." Judd trailed off, looking off to the side. _We don't need you relapsing,_ Is what Judd was going to say. TK had doubled the meetings he had been going to, that was all he seemed to do in his free time now, that and seeing his therapist. "You gotta get outta your head for a little while," Judd sighed, standing up as well, his voice approaching closer to TK "and out of that hospital room," 

"It's not that easy," TK snapped. He took in a large breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out slowly. TK thought that would relax him, but he still felt the stress coursing through him. He felt Judd stand next to him.

TK closed his eyes for a moment, his shoulders sagging. 

TK felt tired, he turned around to face Judd who seemed to be patiently waiting for him. "I keep thinking..." TK stopped, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat and always seemed to be there. "I keep thinking...that what if I don't go into that room one day and..." TK closed his eyes as if the thought was unbearable. He walked away from Judd, shoving his hands into his pocket and looking up at the dimming sun, this way TK could pretend the tears in his eyes were from the bring sun. "...and something happens," TK croaked, coughing to try and clear the emotions from his chest but they didn't budge. 

He heard Judd clear his throat behind him, he hadn't even realised he had approached him. "Kid, you can't live like that," He said from next to him, "You've gotta take care of yourself too," he softly said. 

TK walked forward, sitting down on a log ahead of him. TK rested his elbows on his knee's and reached up to rub the back of his neck. TK shook his head a little, "You know," He started, letting out a deep breath, "I can't tell you how many times I sat in a hospital room, throwing my guts up thinking I was dying," TK was sure he would never forget the first time he experienced withdrawal pains, he was almost certain his stomach was pulling ripped apart and twisted every second. TK had been foolish enough to think it would be the last time he would experience withdrawal, how wrong he was. "Every time it happened, no matter how many times I said it was the last time, my dad was there," TK smiled through tears, trying to blink them away but instead they just feel into his lap, "No matter the time of day he was always there." TK smiled, turning to Judd, "I just...I just wanna be there for him," TK said, he wanted to do more than just bring his dad water and sit next to him; he wanted to help.

"You have been," Judd assured, placing his hand on TK's shoulder, "You've been there for him every day, but your dad would want you to look after yourself," He said, "When was the last time you had a proper meal, slept in an actual bed and had a normal conversation?" TK knew the answer to each of these answer, he kept quiet because he knew Judd wouldn't like his answers.

TK looked around the open plain, sighing and looking up into the sun, "The fresh air has been nice," he admitted. He had spent most days in the sterile hospital rooms or in his meetings. The other times he was working and there was no fresh air in fires.

"Were all here for you kid, were your family." Judd said, "Take the night off, see Carlos," He said, TK turned to say something when Judd interrupted, "NOT at the hospital," He said. TK couldn't help but laugh. "The doctors are taking good care of your dad, and he's doing better," TK sighed again, the doctors had told him his dad's blood levels were better, and his chest Xrays had improved. TK looked over at Judd. The team had been great, each coming to see Owen at the hospital and cheering him up.

TK smiled, slapping Judd on the knee, "Alright, alright I'll take the night off" He said. Judd visibly relaxed, patting TK on the back, sometimes TK found it hard to believe there was animosity between the pair, to begin with. Judd stood up from the log, walking back over to his horse and pulling himself up onto it. "Alright cowboy," He smirked, "Saddle up,"

TK shook his head, walking towards his horse, "I can't believe you dragged me into this," TK chuckled, carefully pulling himself up onto the horse. "Judd," TK said. Judd looked over, a concerned look on his face, TK gave a sincere smile, "Thank you," TK said. Judd gave a nod of his hat, flicking the reins of his horse, TK doing the same.

TK found his mind not focusing on the white hospital room, or the doctors complicated medical talk. Instead, TK watched the way the trees blew in the wind, how the sun hit the ground and the sound of the hoofs hitting the ground.

TK smiled, while a simple horse ride couldn't change what was happening, it was the first time in weeks TK had felt a sense of peace, some calmness within him. TK closed his eyes, enjoy the peace and wildness of Texas. TK knew this peace was temporary, that this good day had to end, but by the same logic, so did the bad days. As the horses trotted along in the sun, TK held onto that thought, smiling up at the sun.


End file.
